Your personality is your unique way of thinking, understanding, reacting, and relating to people.
A personality disorder Overview of Personality Disorders Your personality is your unique way of thinking, understanding, reacting, and relating to people. Many people might seem to have an unusual personality. But they're considered to have a personality... read more isn't just an unusual personality. It's when your personality traits cause significant problems in your life or keep you from relating normally to others.
What is borderline personality disorder?
Borderline personality disorder is:
A pattern of wildly changing moods, relationships, and behavior
People with borderline personality disorder often:
Become panicky or angry when a friend is a few minutes late or cancels an appointment, which makes them feel abandoned
Have a quick temper and lash out verbally at friends, partners, and family, particularly when they think someone isn't meeting their high demands for support
Shift their views rapidly, such as going from praising someone to suddenly being overly critical
Impulsively do unwise things, such as having unsafe sex, overspending, driving recklessly, using drugs, or drinking too much
Sabotage themselves when about to reach a goal, such as dropping out of school right before graduation
Hurt themselves on purpose, such as by cutting or burning
Create crises, such as attempting suicide, to keep other people from abandoning them
Although most self-destructive things they do aren't fatal, almost 1 in 10 people with borderline personality die from suicide.
Even though they're needy, people with borderline personality disorder typically have unstable relationships. They may suddenly go from idolizing a friend to criticizing and dumping them.
Borderline personality disorder is more common in women than in men. People with borderline personality disorder may also have eating disorders Eating Disorders , anxiety Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) Anxiety is being worried or nervous. Anxiety is often normal. For example, many people are anxious when they're having money problems, trouble at work, or family difficulties. However, if you're... read more , depression Depression Depression is feeling too sad or sluggish to do your daily tasks or take part in activities you usually enjoy. It’s normal to feel sad after something sad happens, such as a death or loss—depression... read more , posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is when memories of a highly upsetting event keep coming back, over and over, to invade your thoughts. This lasts for more than a month and can go on for... read more , or alcohol or drug abuse Overview of Substance-Related Disorders Medications and other substances, whether used for legitimate medical purposes, as a habit (for example, caffeine), or recreationally, are an integral part of everyday life for many people ... read more .
What causes borderline personality disorder?
Borderline personality disorder is probably caused by both:
Genes (the genetic information passed to you from your parents)—borderline personality disorder runs in families
Stresses during childhood, such as physical or sexual abuse, neglect, or being separated from a parent
How do doctors treat borderline personality disorder?
Doctors treat borderline personality disorder with:
Therapy (individual and group)
Medicine for mood and anxiety